Martyn Ball
Martyn Charles John Ball
Born: 26 April 1970, Bristol
Major Teams: Gloucestershire, England.
Known As: Martyn Ball
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Career Statistics:
FIRST-CLASS
(1988 - 2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 162 249 46 3949 71 19.45 0 13 195 0
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 4156.2 996 11735 317 37.01 8-46 11 1 78.6 2.82
LIST A LIMITED OVERS
(1989 - 2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 220 157 50 1472 51 13.75 0 1 101 0
O R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 1476.2 6690 202 33.11 5-42 3 1 43.8 4.53
- Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS.
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There is no doubting that Martyn Ball served a long and thorough
apprenticeship before suddenly being elevated to the international
spotlight, adding weight to the idea that spin bowlers mature later than
most.
Bristolian by birth, Ball made his first-class debut for Gloucestershire
in 1988, and season after season wheeled away with his flighted off-breaks,
with varying degrees of success. It took a long time for him to establish
himself as a consistently successful county cricketer, and it was not until
1996 that he was awarded his county cap. Even then, there was a suggestion
that it was for longevity rather than as a result of suddenly making a
breakthrough.
Ball's persistence was, in itself, a valuable quality for a county that
was producing few stars and which was, like Ball, seldom threatening to
break free of mediocrity in terms of results. However, when Gloucestershire
emerged as the kings of English one-day cricket at the turn of the century,
Ball was at the forefront of the resurgence.
Not built as a sprinter, weighing in nearer 13 stone than 12, and not
exceeding five foot nine inches, Ball can always be relied upon as a doughty
performer, even under pressure. An excellent slip fielder, he can also
provide useful runs down the order, while his off-breaks have become more
potent. In the 2001 season he held 21 catches, averaged nearly 30 with the
bat, and took 34 wickets at just over 25 apiece.
At a time when there were few experienced purveyors of off-spin bowling
in the English game, it was to Ball that the selectors turned when Robert
Croft decided that he did not feel comfortable about going to India. Having
played for England Under-19s back in 1989, after which he received no
further international recognition, the amiable Ball finally emerged as
something more than an ordinary county professional, much to the delight of
his many admirers in the game. He picked up wickets and chipped in with the
bat in his one first-class game on tour, and held on to a sharp slip catch
when fielding as a substitute in Ahmedabad.
That was the closest he came to Test cricket, England preferring Richard
Dawson and Ashley Giles, and while Ball's enthusiasm was noticed by the
management, it was probably his last chance to reach the pinnacle of the
game. (Copyright CricInfo October 2002)
Last Updated: Saturday, 09-Nov-2002 12:26:50 GMT
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